Grilled Polenta - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 oz. butter (unsalted)
1/2 oz. garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 qt. vegetable stock
12 oz. tomato juice (optional)*
12 oz. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. peppercorns (black), cracked

Preparation

Heat the butter; add the garlic and saut until the aroma is released. Add the stock to the pot. Add the cornmeal in a thin stream, whipping constantly to prevent the cornmeal from forming lumps. Continue to whip until the mixture is smooth and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the polenta is very thick. Stir the polenta frequently as it cooks. Cover a sheet pan with plastic wrap. Pour the finished polenta onto the sheet pan and level it with a spatula. Cover it with a sheet of parchment paper so that a skin will not form. Cool the polenta to room temperature and then chill under refrigeration. Slice the polenta or cut out into the desired shape (3.5 oz./100 gm per order). Lightly coat with cornmeal before grilling to prevent sticking to grill bars. Grill the polenta on a hot grill just before serving. If necessary, finish reheating the polenta in the oven. Yield: 1/2 hotel pan.